Seven ways to make offers

English: Ver River – Riverside walk Nr Drop Lane Over the years the River Ver has proved itself to be a natural resource in many ways. It has always been used to provide a drinking water supply for human beings but other uses have included defence, a source of power and a focus for recreation and leisure. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In a Buddhist scripture we talk about seven ways to make offers to people that do not involve the use of money or material goods.

The first is “the offer of the eye,” that is looking at people in a compassionate way.
The second is “the offer encouragement.”
The third is “the offering of the words,” being able to find the kind words that may put others at ease and touch their hearts.
The fourth is “the offer of behavior”, that is, give respect to others.
The fifth is “the offering of the heart”, or treating others with warmth. A sincere word and a gentle disposition may not be sufficient if there is behind a “heart” just as friendly and sincere. The penultimate is “the offer of the chair” that is to seat people. For example, with respect and consideration that we should welcome those who travel to attend a meeting. The last is “the offer of the house,” thank guests for coming and ask them to refrain. This is reminiscent of the behavior of those who provide their home for discussion meetings.
these seven types of offers remember a fundamental Buddhist teaching: any thought, word or action has value as a sincere expression of a feeling. With only formal actions or thoughts do not make any significant changes to reality, is the sincerity that can, however, break down the walls also higher among human beings. This sincerity is also required in the performance of individual practice to realize their expectations: the spring that leads to change the perception that creates suffering triggered when the compassion toward themselves and toward the situation hard to bear turns in the knowledge that you have a problem, have a karma that caused it and to finally have the opportunity to turn this karma through good practice in front of the Gohonzon.Cioè the ability to pick up a handful of courage to face the issue head on. As long thought to be involved in something bigger than us, but especially outside of ourselves, we were the victims to be pitied, and only when it was decided to fight, we got the first pleasing results of the transformation. On the other hand, life is hard, you know. It is not pitying ourselves or our friends that you will get change. One of the biggest benefits of Buddhist practice is not perhaps learn to know themselves, their weaknesses, their flaws, but also their own unique qualities and special? Learning to see things for what they are is what allows us to measure ourselves against a concrete barrier and, therefore, to learn what are the right actions to overcome it.
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